Piano plate



United States Patent 9 PIANO PLATE Henry G. Wieltham, Red Bank, N. 1., assignor to The Wickhan'r PianoPlate Company, Springfield,-()hio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 30, 1955 Serial No. 531,422 SClaims. (c1. 84-188) This invention relates to piano plates, and more particularly to a generally new construction therefor, obviating the need for hidden string bearing surfaces.

Overstrung piano plates conventionally are of cast metal construction and comprise marginal portions and intersecting cross bars angularly disposed with respect Set in the marginal portions to the marginal portions. are tuning pins and hitch pins'between which extend the piano strings in different series, some in overlying or overstrung relation to others. Some of the strings of one such series pass beneath one of the intersecting cross bars. Interference is encountered between these strings and the plate in the area of the joint between said cross bar and the marginal portion of the plate. Heretofore such interference has been avoided through installation of a core in such joint at the time of making the plate. Subsequent removal of the core left a recess in the plate with spaced apart superposed surfaces between which said certain strings passed. The existence of such a hidden recess made difiicult the finishing of the superposed surfaces to serve as bearings for the strings. Roughness or irregularity in such surface resulted in a detrimental effect on the tone quality, as well as preventing the proper spacing of the strings.

In accordance with the instant invention, the problem of interference between the strings and the described joint between the overlying cross arm and a marginal portion of the plate is met by incorporating in such area an indented formation which is essentially in the edge of the marginal portion at a point directly beneath the cross arm and extending beyond the side edges of such cross arm. The strings which pass through the area of the joint, accordingly extend freely therethrough without hindrance or confinement within superposed spaced metal portions of the plate. The use of hidden hearing surfaces and attendant disadvantages, as well as the use of cores in the making of the plate, are accordingly avoided.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction of piano plates, whereby such plates may not only be economically manufactured, but will be more efficient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide variety of applications, and be unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to simplify the making of piano plates.

Another object of the invention is to present a coreless piano plate in which all of the string bearing surfaces are exposed.

A further object of the invention is to present a piano plate construction in which the strings do not bear upon any surface of the plate beneath an overlying bar or part thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a piano plate possessing the advantageous structural features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode of operation herein mentioned.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the

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2 invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompany drawings, or their equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawing wherein is shown one but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

ing some of the piano strings installed thereon;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view in per-- spective showing that part of the piano plate having an indented formation in accordance with the instant in vention;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 taken from a slightly different angle;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view, in detail, of that part of the piano plate having the indented formation; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Figs. 2 and 3, taken from a still different angle.

Like parts are indicated by similarcharacters of reference throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, a piano plate in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a cast metal frame member 10 formed with marginal flange-like portions 11 and 12 and a series of interconnecting and intersecting cross bars including principally approximately parallel bars 13 and 14 and a bar 15 in intersecting substantially overlying relation to the bar 13.- At its one end the cross bar 15 merges with and is joined to marginal flange portion 11. At its other end, the cross bar 15 similarly is received in the marginal flange portion 12, extending more particularly to an offset part 16 thereof.

A set of strings 17 stretches in parallel relation to the cross bar 15 between tuning pins 18 (only a few of which are shown) on the marginal flange portion 11 and hitch pins 19 (only a few being shown) on the offset part 16 of the flange portion 12. Another set of strings 21 underlies the set of strings 17 and is angularly disposed relatively thereto, extending between tuning pins 22 (only a few being shown) on the flange portion 11 and hitch pins 23 (only a few being shown) on the flange portion 12, the angular disposition of the parts being such as to bring some of the strings 21 beneath and beyond the cross bar 15.

On the marginal flange portion 11 is a longitudinal ridge formation 24, and another similar ridge formation 25 located respectively in front of the tuning pins '18 and 22 and serving as bearing surfaces for the respective sets of strings 17 and 21. On the flange portion 12 are similar string bearing surfaces 26, 27 and 28 separated by the cross bars 14 and 15.

The marginal flange portions 11 and 12 further may be considered as having relatively adjacent inner side edges. In such side edge of the flange portion 12, and in underlying aligned relation to the cross bar 15 is an indented formation or cut-out 29 unitarily formed in thepiano plate when it is cast. That end of the bearing surface 27 adjacent to the cross bar 15 terminates at the indented formation 29. That end of the bearingsurface 28 adjacent to the cross arm 15 also substantially merges with and terminates at the indented formation 29. The construction and arrangement of parts, it. will be understood, is to afford a free and unobstructed passage for those strings 21 which would normally pass through the joint between the cross arm 15 and the inner edge of the marginal flange portion 12. Further, the disadvantages of a cored-out opening in the arm 15 for passage of such Patented Nov. 4, 1958 certain strings is avoided. Thus, the strings do. not pass through spaced apart superposed surfaces in the plate. The underside of the cross arm 15, at all points where it is traversed by the strings 21, is freely accessible for smoothing and finishing operations prior to the installing of the strings.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involvedor sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with thestatute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An overstrung piano plate having a marginal portion defining an intermediate opening therein and at least one intersecting cross bar joined at its ends to said marginal portion at diagonally opposite positions, and string bearing surfaces extending longitudinally along said mar.- ginal portion; characterized by a cut out formation in one edge of said marginal portion adjacent said opening and beneath one end of said cross bar interrupting said bearing surface to either side of said bar and obviating the use of hidden string bearing surfaces.

2. An overstrung piano plate including, a unitary metal frame with marginal portions and cross arms interconnecting said marginal portions, and a cut out portion at the junction of one of said arms and one of said marginal portions and extending laterally in opposite directions from said one of said arms enabling relatively diagonal application ,of strings in overlying relation to said frame and in underlying relation to said one arm at said out out portion with free access thereto.

3. An. overstrung piano plate including connected relatively opposite marginal portions having tuning and hitch pins respectively connected thereto, a series of strings stretched between said pins and connecting said opposite marginal portions thereby, bar elements joined at their ends to said relatively opposite marginal portions, at least one of said bar elements connecting diagonally in overlying relation to said strings and intermediate said marginal portion mounting said hitch pins, and means defining a cut out portion at the junction of one of said arms and in said marginal portion mounting said hitch pins extending laterally in opposite directions from said one of said arms enabling relatively diagonal application of strings in overlying relation to said frame and in underlying relation to said one arm immediately adjacent said junction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 847,889 Bjur Mar. 19, 1907 

